


Remain EverStrange

by stqr_lord



Category: Black Panther (2018), Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sherlock (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Crossover, Everstrange, M/M, Slow Burn, ill do it myself, kind of soulmate AU?, there wasn't any content for this ship that wasn't fuckin mpreg so i said in thanos voice
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-01-15 23:27:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18509245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stqr_lord/pseuds/stqr_lord
Summary: Doctor Stephen Strange discovers power isn't the only thing that comes from the multiverse. Strange meets Ross, and knows it wasn't coincidence on their meeting. Strange now has to learn why the repeating factor in his lives was Everett's soul, and decide what his own fate will be with this life for himself.





	1. The Strange File

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! thanks for your interest, I hope I don't disappoint! I know this is a smaller ship, and saw how there wasn't much content in writings for them besides the short one shots that always seem to be A/O stuff,,yeah,,, I hope this fic will bring more content for this ship, but also bring you enjoyment to read. enjoy!

Doctor Stephen Strange closed the portal once both of Odin’s sons passed through it, letting out a sigh of relief. As wonderful as guests Odin and Thor were, the further the royal Asgardian family was from Earth, the better.  


Strange walked up the stairs, dread causing his shoulders to hang; knowing from the noise just how much damage Thor’s umbrella had caused to artifacts and their display cases. Some artifacts would require Wong’s assistance to mend or contain again.  


The Cloak of Levitation pulled Stephen’s chair out for him as he sat down at his desk. Several shelves of text, scattered papers and the scent of the old books filled the senses, the bright light from the large window around the corner contrasted beautifully with the warmer lights within the sanctum. Stephen pulled out a slip of paper from his desk, grabbing a pen as well to write the note. He paused after writing the first sentence, and added the second sentence and his signature with a smile:  


“Small incident, need your assistance cleaning 

up. 

Drinks after if you’re up for it. 

Stephen Strange”  


Stephen folded the note up, flicking with his other hand a small portal, showing Wong’s own desk on the other side. Stephen placed the note down on it, withdrawing his hand back and closing the portal. The sorcerer was about to get back up and begin cleaning what he could when his elbow bumped at the open book beside him, Stephen turned quick enough to catch it before it fell off the side of the desk. It was the location spell he had used to find Odin. Strange pulled the book in front of him, taking time to continue reading it over. He had only used the spell twice; once to learn it while at Kamar-Taj, and the other to aid Thor. The spell seemed almost limitless.  


Stephen Strange had a habit of testing himself and his limits, leading him to several dangerous situations since becoming a master of the mystic arts. Although he always seemed to have everything work out in the end.  


Stephen blew the hairs tickling his forehead back, pausing his reading, the thought suddenly forming in his mind. Doctor Strange quickly got up, gathering all the supplies for his experiment.  
There were spells for looking through times and timelines, but they almost always required the eye of Agamotto. Strange placed the assortment of items on the desk, already having most of them out from tracking Odin. The book had no warnings pertaining to this test, so it appeared safe enough.  


"Final piece." Stephen muttered, the cloak of Levitation shifting on his shoulders curiously. Stephen pulled a strand of hair from his own head. "The theory in question," Stephen said a little louder, holding up his strand of hair, "Is if we can synthesize the location spell, using the eye of Agamotto." Stephen spoke to the cloak; even if the sentient garment was only able to communicate through jesters, it helped Stephen to have someone to talk to, to not feel so alone.  


Stephen begun to form the magic shape with the strand, considering other ways to make the spell have a higher output, to expand the radar. Stephen had no idea what to expect from this experiment; either just a portal looking at himself or something else entirely.  


“Perhaps expanding the spell to search horizontally, rather than vertically in time?” Strange asked, turning his head a little to look at the collar next to his cheek. The cloak squeezed him a little tighter, as a way to display it’s concern.  


The energy coming from the spell between his hands was growing, Stephen grunted and grit his teeth, struggling to contain it. This definitely fell under the something else category. The magic forms begun to multiply, like cellular mitosis.  


It became too much, the crackling sound rapidly increasing along with it's speed, and the eye of Agamotto glowing brighter. Stephen let out a shout, throwing the energy forward with a loud snapping sound. Papers when flying in almost all directions, scattering almost away from the spell. Stephen braced his arms in front of his face with a shield spell, preparing for another spell to blow up on him. When the blast never came, Strange slowly took down his arms.  


Scattered across the room was several portals, the muffled noise coming from them all sounded like echoes. Strange stepped carefully around, looking at them all. The portals were scattered around, making it feel like they were all looking at him rather than him looking at them. Each opening was vastly different than another, Strange realized these portals weren’t openings to his world, not even his universe.  


The crying of a baby coming from one of the portals broke Stephen’s pondering and drew his attention towards it. The portal showed a small apartment, clutter of papers, and baby toys spread across it. Two chairs sat facing one another, the styles contrasting, and yet complimentary to another. One was a large red fabric chair, decorated in a blanket and a distressed pillow displaying the british flag sitting with the baby. The other chair was wider, and dark leather with a metal frame, seeming far more used than the other. The black and white wallpaper on the farthest wall from him had spray painted graffiti and holes, confusing Stephen. The baby sat in the large red chair, squirming as it cried.  


“Coming!” A voice shouted from another room, directed to the baby. Strange withdrew slightly, shrinking the portal, fearful of being seen by more than a baby. A man entered the room, coming up to the infant and gently scooping it up, and holding the baby against his chest, allowing it to rest it’s head on his shoulder, hushing it gently. The man was facing away from Stephen, the only distinguishable traits Strange could make out was messy curly dark hair and a lanky figure. It was obviously late at night, the only light came from the kitchen off to the right, and the man as well was sporting a silky blue robe. The baby looked towards Stephen, he only could blink back at it in hopes it doesn't alert the man. The baby gave a small grin and a cool happily at the sight of him, as if she knew something he didn't.  


“What did Rosie need?” Another voice asked as it approached, sounding far more tired the man with the baby. The man was shorter, hair a sandy blonde that seemed better contained even with just waking up than compared to his companion. He leaned up and kissed the infant's head.  


“Only needing attention, which is one of the qualities she acquired from her father, John.” The taller man said, with more amusement in his tone than hurtful intent.  


John scoffed, taking Rosie gingerly from the man. “No, she picked it up from you Sherlock; if Rosie is laughing at anyone but you, you get jealous.” Sherlock turned to the side to look down at them, his smile soft and just for Rosie and John.  


Once Sherlock turned to the side, Strange was able to see his face, or rather, his own. Strange felt as if someone had slapped him, racing to explain what he was seeing. He backed off from the portal, his trembling hands only shaking worse. He turned to the other portals, curiosity pushing him to look on. One was simply mounds of gold, another was a view of an alien spaceship. He slowly stepped back, leaning against his desk.  


These were other universes, that was the only conclusion he could conjur. Even magic had explanations. By using his own strand of hair, Doctor Strange caused the spell to look for himself. But what produced these portals was the use of the time stone on a horizontal measurement of space timelines, rather than vertical of time timelines of this universe. It searched for his soul through the multiverse.  


Strange took pride in his discovery with a smirk. The idea of past lives was alluded to in many books at kamar-taj, but never had Strange considered it meant outside of his reality. Entire lives were sitting in front of him, his lives. Strange glanced around at the portals, a devious thought creeping into action.  


'As long as I don't go in and alter anything or let my presence be known…’ Strange thought to himself, opening the eye of Agamotto once more, 'there's no harm and watching them from the start…’

Stephen had lost count of how many lives he had watched and track of the time. The cloak had even been generous enough to even bring him snacks as he watched through the portals. He use the mirror realm to observe the other versions of himself up close, but had gotten tired and returned to his world to lay down and watch them as if it was television. Once he completed watching one, he'd flip to the next one and use the time stone to begin it over.  


Strange felt his eyes become heavier, realizing how long he had been doing this vaguely in the back if his mind. The cloak had wrapped itself around him in the likeness of a blanket. It would not be the first time Levi would carry him to bed. When you work with time travel, you forget to rest until your body makes you. Stephen was close to doing so before a shout caused him to swiftly get up.  


“Strange!” Wong's voice rang, striding over to him, his face furrowing as he looked at the portals surrounding him.  


Stephen stretched his arms upward, patting Wong's shoulder as a greeting. “Took you long enough.”  


“I see you've learned nothing from toying with the timestone.” Wong said with a huff, beginning to promptly close portals.  


Strange trudged behind him, making no effort to stop him, he'd seen most of them anyway. “I used the time loop to stop Dormammu, I am not even breaking natural law here.” He gestured to the portals.  


Wong closed the last one as one would slam a door, turning back to Stephen. “The soul is fluid, but not unbreakable. You might not have tampered with their lives but by gaining the knowledge of them you alter your own perception. Combining spells, let alone the time stone with a spell, is often unpredictable and dangerous. It's like pouring gasoline on fireworks.”

Wong let his shoulders relax with his hands behind his back. “I'll ask you not to look again, the risk is greater than just our world being ripped apart.”  


Strange took in this information, lowering his eyes slightly before nodding. “Understood.” Wong's words are not treated lightly in Strange mind, his years of experience out weighed his natural gift. Now weather or not he would listen to his words was another thing. Though Strange had seen enough of these lives to have his curiosity sated.  


Wong nodded back and placed his hand on Strange's shoulder and squeezed lightly. “Good. Now let's get our drinks.” He said, letting go of Stephen and walking past him down the stairs.  


“I said drinks after we were done cleaning the sanctum.” Stephen retorted, shouting towards the stairwell.  


Wong’s only answer was the sound of the main doors opening and the sound of it shutting closed once more, Wong out the door. Strange followed suit, letting the heavy thoughts of what he had seen slip into the back of his mind for the time being.

 

* * *

 

Everett Ross could sit at his desk among the hundreds of others on his floor in the CIA headquarters still find it hard to find any reason to talk to them outside of work. The events of the Sokovia Accords and Wakanda coming forward in the world placed him in charge of facilitating the Avengers, what was left of them at least, and other humans of that caliber on this little blue planet. Without S.H.I.E.L.D it gave the CIA a lot more work to do containing these problems and anomalies. To Everett, he was better off focusing on his work rather than the laugher from the far side of the room, in the break area.  


Everett had friends, sure. Though none that counted; some old Air Force buddies he'd get a drink with every once and awhile, his family on the rare occasions. He glanced at the small photo frame on his desk; the photo was him with T'challa at the press conference when the king came out to the world with the wonders of Wakanda. Well that was one friend he could count.  


Everett tapped his desk to the rhythm of a clock somewhere in the building, glancing out the window. He much prefered the missions in the field that to sit here and listen to the phones ringing and agent’s muffled discussions that were almost never anything relevant. Agent Lee’s rants on how messy the Wakanda weapon discussions were going were a beautiful display of exactly why Wakanda kept these weapons so far away from the rest of the world. Anger from his co-workers words caused Everett’s tapping speed to increase against the desk, just before his superior, Agent Miller, approached him. Everett stood up, gripping the ends of his sleeves; a habit he was unconscious of. He let out a sigh of relief, finally a mission.  


“Ross,” Miller nodded at him, motioning him to his office. “We have another asset for you to address.” The pair walked past the rows of desks, no one paying them any attention, to the front of the floor where the closed off offices were built exclusively for the higher ups.  


Everett closed the door to Miller’s office behind him, the blinds hanging from the door clunking lightly as it swung back against the door's glass. “Asset?” he questioned. Everett was their go to when it came to talking to these 'superheroes’, which Everett would have hoped to have granted him a closed off office but apparently not.  


“We believe there is another individual who is joined the playing field.” Agent Miller said, pushing the small folder towards Everett before leaning back into his seat, the seat creaking as he did so. Agent Millers’ tie was leaning to the side, as his whole demeanor seemed relaxed and at ease.  


Everett took a seat, leaning forward a bit. He glanced up at Miller one more time before opening the vanilla folder.  


The folder contained a blurred photo, in it was of a street somewhere in Hong Kong based on the signs he could make out, and yet even with the blur, it was clear there was something out of place. A large glowing ring stood on the sidewalk, and someone walking through it, the person was wrapped in something large and red, but other than that it was unclear what was going on in that image. He looked it over for a long moment, soaking it in, before looking back up.  


“How do we know this is something we should be concerned about?” Everett questioned, as there were many hoaxes they dealt with and rumors when it came to new superheroes or threats.  


“We did a bit of digging, put some pieces together and have a location and name. Doctor Stephen Strange,” Agent Miller said with a sigh. “I’ll send his file to your desk in few. He busted up his hands, spent all his money trying to fix them, and then,” Agent Miller said, leaning forward, opening up his hands as a gesture, “He vanished, until recently. Popped back up in New York, seen entering this building, and now seen, doing whatever this is.” He tapped the picture. “Check it out, see what we are dealing with. We want him to cooperate with us, and depending on your findings, convince him to also add his signature to the accords. This is a diplomatic mission Ross, I'd send a friendlier agent but if it turns south I need your experience with these kinds of people.” Agent Miller stood up, fixing his tie, pointing at Ross. “Don't mess this up.”  


Everett looked over the photo again, giving a small smile to the side. “Guess I’ll give it a look.”

Everett had spent the evening reading over the Strange file. The joke was funny at first, but it was used more and more it soon grew tired of it. He was one of the few still left at the office, his lamp the only light except for the lights of the city coming through the windows. He had placed his jacket on the back of his chair, sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up with his tie loosened and a button or two undone. Sometime in the evening he gave Shuri a call, at the end of his wits trying to figure out what sort of technology Dr. Strange had acquired.  


“Tech that allows you to travel across the world in split second time?” Shuri asked over the call, laughing at Ross's question. In Wakanda it was only midmorning, here, it must have been past ten at night. “The only tech I know of that could do that is the tesseract. The last it was seen was going back to where ever Thor took it. This isn't something technology can do. Yet. Give me a few years I could give it a shot.” She said casually. Everett rubbed his face, and thanked her for her help.  


Strange displayed no hostility or intent, if he did than they would have called in Stark for his evaluation on the hostile, maybe call the council and wait until they clear for them to take him in. But Doctor Strange had only been using unidentified tech, so he was labeled so far as unknown. Yet they expected him to handle this, with nothing but his badge and if need be, gun. He couldn't just walk up to the front door and knock not knowing what he was even getting into.  


Could he?


	2. A Meet and Greet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the wait everyone! I always want to make sure what I put out is always the best possible product I can provide and chapter two really stumped me on how to have their interactions balanced! But I hope you enjoy the second installment of Remain Everstrange!  
> A special thank you to @221bvanshika for helping me with my errors!

     New York was a beautiful city, it truly was. Everett had watched the skyscrapers’ peaks peer over the skyline from below the plane. Now he watched the buildings reach far above the SUV's windows, the clouds covering them like the hoodies hiding faces on the street. He had visited the city before, but it had been sometime since. The CIA kept him too busy for personal travel.

     He glanced at his watch, seeing it as just about lunch time; too bad he hadn't grabbed something to eat before.

    Everett wiped his tie down his chest so it sat pristinely straight on his suit, keeping his gun holster tucked away and hidden nicely under his arm. Somewhere in Everett's mind, showing up unexpected right before lunch seemed rude; unexpected visitors for him at least were the worst. The rest of his mind knew that when you call ahead first, they always try to run. This though, was his job; no matter how tiring or taxing it was on Everett he enjoyed it still.

     “177A Bleecker Street.” Everett muttered to himself, turning his attention back to looking out the window for the address. The driver remained silent in front, the only time she spoke was when they came to a stop in front of the building.

    “I'll be in the block. Call if you can't handle this.” She said sternly, unlocking the door for Everett to step out of.

     Everett ignored her comment, giving a glare right back at her in the rear view mirror. Many agents looked down on him, blaming him for losing Klaw when they had captured him and letting ‘Wakanda’ take him. None of those Agents seemed to bother to read the case file to know Eric Killmonger was responsible. Other agents didn't like Agent Ross because it appeared like he trusted Wakanda more than his own nation. Those Agents at least knew something about him.

     Everett closed the SUV door and fixed his suit jacket, looking down the street as the other Agent drove off. The neighborhood had the rustic look to it, except 177A. The whole building seemed out of place, the architecture as a whole didn't match the design of the rest of the houses that should have been built at the same time this neighborhood was.

     Everett walked up the steps, still soaking in the complex designs of the doors alone. For someone who had to sell everything he owned, Doctor Strange had living arrangements that looked like four of Everett's paychecks. Everett glanced over to the doorbell, it _couldn't_ be that easy.

     He pressed and held it to the count of 2 before letting go, a hint of fear something might pop out and stab him, or anything else that was fatal. 

    Apparently it was that easy, since nothing jumped out to kill him once he let go of the doorbell. The suspense and the quiet street only made Everett shift and twitch his fingers.

     Finally the sound of a door lock unclicking made him turn back to the center of the door, it slowly swung open, revealing Doctor Stephen Strange.    

    Stephen looked very different than the photos Everett had seen of him before the accident. His hair and facial hair was styled in far more complimenting way. Rather than wearing the red drape that Everett had seen in the file's picture, he wore a dark blue hoodie over a maroon shirt, a pair of form fitting jeans and black sneakers . He looked far more like a man out on a jog than the cryptic traveller. His facial expression looked utterly confused and out of breath, eyebrows arched upward.

     “You...knocked?” Strange asked, his head tilting slightly and squinting at him as he was catching his breath, Everett thought that his confusion to answering the door seemed...strange.

     “I, uh, did. Not used to visitors?” Everett asked, trying to peek past Stephen to see inside, but the Doctor had the door open to where he stood blocking the view.

     “Not used to people using a door anymore.” Stephen muttered before addressing Everett properly. “How can I help you?”

     “Doctor Strange, I am Agent Ross with the CIA and I need to speak to you on an inquiry. Perhaps somewhere more private.” Everett said, glancing at the street once more.

     Stephen's expression of confusion turned into annoyance. “Mr. Ross I am sorry but you have the wrong address. Please try looking elsewhere.” he said shortly, trying to close the door on Everett, who in turn placed a hand on the door to keep him from closing it.

     “It's Agent, and I am not asking. I was hoping you were willing to talk without me having to make you, _Mr_. Strange.” Everett said, huffling lightly. He was not going to be shuffled away or ignored.

     “It's Doctor. And of by force you mean the loaded handgun under your jacket, then you really don't know who I am.” Strange said turning to remove Everett's hold on the door by casting his arm off it, but as soon as he made contact with the arm, Stephen felt it all at once.

* * *

 

    The Ancient One had known Strange and his significance before he even knew her. Stephen had only to touch Thor to know that Thor was on an immediate path that would alter the universe as they knew it.

     When Stephen touched Everett, it was something entirely new. The sense of destiny that Stephen had when he felt him, was world changing and powerful, _influential_. It was only a moment before Stephen withdrew his hand back to himself and held it there in front of him, eyes widening at Ross.

     Stephen knew who Everett was. Who he used to be. All those timelines, and now he's _here_ . It was **_him_ **. The man from all of Stephen's other lives. Stephen looked at him harder, realizing how similar and yet different this man, Ross, was to all of his alternative lives. It took Everett's push against the door again to bring him back to the reality of the present.

    “What will it be Doctor Strange; you going to let me in or will I have to let myself in?” Everett said impatiently.

      Stephen couldn't help himself. He couldn't stop his awe or intrigue from wanting to know more about Ross. This was the dependent variable in all his lifetimes. But this time he knew it, this time he could find out why this simple and undistinguished being for some reason was always present in his lives. He didn't care about Ross, this was only for the interest in learning more about the theory of past lives. So, only for his consuming drive for knowledge and the sake of science, he opened the door, standing aside. “Come in.”

* * *

 

 

   Everett stepped into the sanctum, looking at the ceiling all the way down to the floors. It had the aesthetic of an antique shop that was within castle. He had a good poker face, but a small smile crept from the side of his lips. “Nice place.” He said quietly.

    Stephen observed Everett in a different way than from watching him on the doorstep. Strange now soaked in everything about him. He knew this man a thousand lifetimes over and he, in turn, had no idea who Stephen was other than a case file.

     Once Stephen had decided that they had wasted enough time in the entrance, he walked past Everett, speaking to him with the expectancy of him to follow. “Agent Ross, I will be happy to share whatever I can with you.” he said off handedly.

     It was hard for Stephen to not use his magic, as it had become second nature to him, but it would have only make Ross become hostile or chase him away and Strange didn't want either of those until he learned what he wanted from him. After that, Ross was disposable enough.

     Everett followed behind him up the stairs, still trying to not stop and look, keeping his eyes on the objects and pictures. “Your current residence is unique, isn't it?” He asked.

     Strange was thankful that Everett was distracted enough not to notice the cloak of Levitation coming towards them, wondering who was with him, wanting to go back to resting on the sorcerer's shoulders. Strange quickly snatched it quickly and threw it under a table they passed, giving it a shushing sound. _'not yet’_ he tried to tell it with his eyes apologetically. It was as if Stephen had a secret puppy he didn't want to show his parents until he gave them a pitch to keep it. “Yes…” he said, not really listening to Everett's question. 

     “Mmm. As unique as seeing you travel through a portal in Hong Kong.” Everett said smoothly, refocusing towards Strange. Stephen caught that and moved more methodically. normally Strange was clean in making sure that none were aware of his work, of course his one slip up was the one time he was caught.

     They came to the two seats facing each other at an angle with a small side table between them, Strange's own red chair for himself and the dark brown leather for guests. It had been only a few weeks since Thor had sat there. Sitting down in his seat, the Doctor manifested a cup of tea and held it out for Everett without thinking on it.

     Everett took a seat and the cup. Afterwards he furrowed his brows realizing the tea's sudden appearance next to Stephen. _'was the teapot and cups there when we sat down?’_

     “These are..steep accusations Agent Ross. What interest do you have in it?” Strange asked with a small chuckle, getting his own cup of tea.

     “It's not my personal interest, I am here on behalf of the Central Intelligence Agency.” Everett said, correcting Strange. Strange was as snarky as Stark, and Everett was a man with little patience.

     “Clearly. With that information you will or will not receive, you'll report back, and then return again with your entire legion of Agents and declare me a threat and try to take the building. It would be amusing for a few minutes watching you and your _goons_ try to get inside here but I'd rather not waste yours or my time. So tell me what is your goal here Agent Ross.”  Stephen said, sitting forward. “Why did they send you specifically.”

     Everett put down his tea, looking at the cup and tapping the table with a smirk, laughing lowly. “Punishment probably, though I don't know how they knew you'd be this much of a prick. Though seeing your records as a Doctor maybe I should have seen it.” He looked up at Strange, adjusting his jaw and crossing his arms, taking a moment to not continue to snap back. Diplomacy, he reminded himself. He spoke again with a less biting tone. “I'm the one they put in charge of handling the Accords and superheroes.”

     Strange smiled a little at the thought of being called a superhero. He wasn't a hero, he was a protector of reality, this was an occupation. Strange looked down at Everett's cup on the table thoughtfully. There was so much Strange could tell Everett, but he was sworn to protect the secrets of the sorcerers. Though Everett probably knew things that perhaps Strange didn't about the other heroes, but more than that, Everett's soul was the most interesting thing in this sanctum to Strange.

      Hunger gripped him and his thoughts, reminding Stephen that he hadn't eaten anything yet. Strange also could see Everett was hungry too from his impatient foot tapping. He let out a small sigh, knowing this was a fool's choice, not one of a sorcerer supreme. “Agent Ross, I think we can make a deal over lunch. I have a very tight schedule so this will probably be the only time you'll have my attention.” Stephen said, standing up.

     Everett rose as well with him, hesitant at Stephen's words. “Lunch? We aren't friends getting drinks, this is a formal visit Doctor.”

     Stephen scoffed. “If you want your information then you will meet _my_ terms. The bar is a block away, I can assume you'll want to walk.”

     “You have different transportation in mind?” Everett asked, Strange only smiling mischievously.

“We'll get there."

* * *

 

    

 The walk to the bar was tedious to Stephen, and they moved in almost complete silence. What was there to say? Strange had to think of what he was willing to reveal to Everett in this meeting. And what would Everett give him in return?

     The bar was smaller than Ross had expected. This was definitely a neighborhood's bar, not a city bar people would go out of their way to come to. The bar lined the left wall, two bartenders chatting with some women sitting at the bar, a group of men shouting at the game playing on the small TV screen. There were several tables lined on the right side of the bar's brick walls. In the far back was a pool table where two men, covered by cigar smoke, played. It was picturesque like something from a mobster movie.

     Strange gestured for them to sit at a table against the wall that was small, fitting only for two people, the light above them lit just enough for their table, along with a bowl of peanuts.

     Both of them sat down, Ross letting out a sigh and leaning back. "Secrets for secrets, is it?" He asked, realizing if he didn't start the conversation, it never would begin. 

     "Something like that." Strange said, arms resting on the table. Strange knew much but what Everett could provide about the other 'heroes' was a more personal evaluation of them and details Strange can get from study.

      "I can't exactly give you information, it's not my call." Ross said, opening up a peanut to eat.

     "It's not mine either. But it's a fair trade, more or less." Came Strange's rebuttal. 

     "More or less?" Ross asked, light offense in his tone. Giving someone whom is suspected to be a possible threat to the nation, if not the world, information about himself and all the people who come with his job seemed more than unfair.

     "As self important as the CIA is, the things I could tell you from my 'organization' would probably cause you to have a heart attack- hello." Stephen said as the waitress came to their table, two menus in hand. Ross only could give the Doctor a look before also looking up at the waitress.

     "Welcome back, what can I start y'all off to drink?" She asked, bouncy brown hair in a ponytail, glowing a little from the busy happy hour.

     "Water for me." Strange said before gripping his menu.

     "Same for me." Everett said, giving the waitress a dry smile before she went off to get the drinks. He turned back to Strange, eyebrows creasing together out of interest. "Welcome back? You come here often?"

     Stephen placed down the menu, hands gently folding over one another. "I come here sometimes with some associates." Strange decided that this was an opportunity to open up some information to Everett to keep him from getting annoyed. "I'm not the only one who is in my line of work."

     "I can guess you don't mean surgeons." Everett said, causing Doctor Strange to give a small huff of amusement.

     "No, I was a doctor, now I'm.." this was where he was gonna lose him. "A protector of reality."

     "What- what does that mean?" Agent Ross said leaning in closer, his voice dripping with skepticism.

     Strange decided that Agent Ross was a man to be blunt with. "That ring you saw in Hong Kong, was a portal, I was attending a meeting at their sanctum. There are three sanctums that together help form a protective barrier for Earth from other beings who want to take our world." 

     "Like Stark's Ultron concept?" Ross asked. It sounded like a magical version of what Tony Stark had tried to create. 

     "If that's how you will understand it. A little more complex than that, but sure." Strange said. He glanced up and observed the waitress putting down their drinks with quiet thank yous from both him and Agent Ross.

    Agent Ross nodded, trying to process it. "Surely there's some sort of tech you use?" For him, he was trying to imagine what was powerful enough to have only three points to cover the planet; that's the range of a nuclear bomb. Even Wakanda's barriers don't extend to the planet, (though he was sure if Shuri wanted it to, she'd make it so).

     Strange smirked. "I thought it was drugs for the first time, but I guess that first guess to explain it comes from everyone's personal experiences. Your turn Agent Ross, tell me about your occupation, what do you do for this world."

     Ross wasn't prepared for the conversation to turn back to him so abruptly, this was supposed to be a questioning on his part, not to be questioned himself. "Uh...there's not much I can disclose..I was an Airman, and then began to work for the CIA. After the accords I was in the division for handling the Superheroes and making sure they followed the accords." Ross as well put down his menu, finishing his selection. 

     "That's what it says on paper, Ross. Now you're representing yourself as an ambassador to Wakanda." Strange said. He could read the case file of Agent Ross but what Strange wanted to know was who Everett Ross was in this Multiverse.

     "I never claimed that title. It's being considered between King T'challa and the higher ups." Everett corrected.

     "Are you close with the King of Wakanda?" Strange asked, from the way Everett spoke with defense and respect of T'challa it seemed so. 

     Ross fidgeted with the fork on the table, finally looking away from Strange. "Yes, and it's a friendship that many in the CIA call conflict of interest. Wakanda had every right not to tell the world about themselves. Maybe they shouldn't have, but T'challa makes the calls not me, I just follow his lead." He glanced back up to Strange, trying his own way to study the doctor's reaction.

Strange's eyes squinted lightly as a telltale of him thinking on something intently. Agent Ross's loyalty to a fault was something Strange had recognized in all of his other lives. Also the fact he was in the military, and craved that same excitement now. But Ross, with all these attributes, still felt different than all the others he had watched. "Strange?" Everett asked pulling him back to this reality.    

     Strange blinked before finally pulling his eyes from Ross to see the waitress standing at the table, holding her paper and pen to take their orders. "Right."

* * *

 

     The two ate quietly, and the conversation didn't pick up afterwards. Strange didn't speak a word, and Everett didn't want to open up more so than he already had in this one evening. Once they finished, the two paid and began to walk back to the sanctum. Finally Strange spoke. "You said Wakanda should have stayed hidden, but T'challa trusted you enough to open it's secrets to you first before the world."  He stated, though Everett still felt like it had an underlying question.

     "It's a specific way of wording it, I saved a friend of his and he saved me." The CIA agent said, humility from his training making him try not to gloat about achievements. He stopped at the front doors of the building, looking up at it before back to Strange as he spoke.

     There must be something to Ross for a king to trust him. Strange could see Ross was as trustworthy as he had always been. "Wakanda is different than the Mystic Art users. I have to trust you Agent Ross, Not Because I don't have any other options, as it wouldn't be hard to wipe your memory or the CIA, but because I want you to trust me as well. Be careful what you put in your report Agent Ross, and reflect on what you just told me." Strange said, holding out a hand for Ross to shake.

     Ross creased his eyebrows a few times before gently shaking the other man's hand. "That's quite cryptic Doctor. But I'll think about it." He said, stepping back towards the street to call the driver.

     "When can I expect you back Agent Ross?" Doctor Strange called down to him. His question posing more of an invitation than anything.

    Ross's mouth twitched. "Depends if they send me back for more information. I'll inform you of that at a later date, Doctor or a different agent will come to you."

     "I'll see if I can make room in the schedule." Strange said before stepping inside the Sanctum and shutting the doors.

     Stephen let out a sigh, his back finally leaving it's forced posture and the small smirk finally seeping from the lips of the sorcerer supreme. As soon as the Cloak of Levitation heard the door seal, it zoomed towards Stephen with an angry appearance, swatting at him with the tips of the cloak. Stephen held up his arms in defense. "Hush! He would have seen you and then I wouldn't be able to finish my work on him!" He said as it perched back on his shoulders. "Well of course he's coming back, we aren't done yet." He answered the cloak as if it asked. Indeed there was still much more to the story of Agent Everett Ross yet for Doctor Stephen Strange to discover.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you share this around since I know its hard for people of the community to know about new fics, so please feel free to share, or tag me on tumblr @stqr-lord ! kudos, comments anything is appreciated and help give me drive to put out chapters quicker! have a beautiful day and see you next time!


End file.
